I cannot figure out the *.dll required to play the text file so will someone here who's skilled with Visual Basic 2010, please help.

I am working on a new tool to easily port MML files to text. Within the tool, you can select and change different tracks' instruments, tempo, and volume, then save to a TXT file. It will support changing the Instrument, tempo, and volume of all 8 tracks when completed. I don't know when it will be done and working, mainly because coding this thing is complicated as hell. Anyway, here is a screenshot of what the form will look like.
If anybody out there are coders experienced with Visual Basic 2010, you may help. This is very complicated to make, but I will try my best.

It's the only thing I know how to use. I have no knowledge of any other language.

EDIT: DAMNIT NINJI'D!

Anyway, a preview button would help. If there was a way to play one without loading the rom. You could probably convert it from MML to MID and store it in a temporary folder and then play it. I know how to make a media player in visual basic, easy.

Why do people care so much about the language a program is written in? You've got to accept that learning a programming language is hard work, and many people only know one. Yes, visual basic is a crappy language, but if the tool isn't broken, why fix it? Yes, something written in VB might not be as portable as, say, C++, but you can think of that as a choice the author made about his/her audience.

Thank you for listening to my rant.

On the subject of the thread, I think what you're doing is pretty cool, and if you can pull it off, it'll be really great. A preview button would be awesome, but it would also probably take just as much code as the rest of the program itself.

Also, I really hope there's actually code behind those buttons and boxes. It's really bad practice to make an interface and then code for it, as opposed to the other way around.

Why do people care so much about the language a program is written in? You've got to accept that learning a programming language is hard work, and many people only know one. Yes, visual basic is a crappy language, but if the tool isn't broken, why fix it? Yes, something written in VB might not be as portable as, say, C++, but you can think of that as a choice the author made about his/her audience.

Thank you for listening to my rant.

On the subject of the thread, I think what you're doing is pretty cool, and if you can pull it off, it'll be really great. A preview button would be awesome, but it would also probably take just as much code as the rest of the program itself.

Also, I really hope there's actually code behind those buttons and boxes. It's really bad practice to make an interface and then code for it, as opposed to the other way around.

Thanks, you made me feel a lot better.

Yes, there is a LOT of code behind the buttons, but it does not yet work. I don't yet know when I will have this complete, but when it is, it will be in the tool section.

..wait, wait, wait... you're planning a PREVIEW FUNCTION?! Thank goodness! I'm pretty sure you must know just how tedious inserting and reinserting to listen is during music porting!

It isn't that hard, copy paste the txt file into the music folder, use addmusic to insert it into the rom, assuming you have the music set to the number you inserted, and your rom open, you press f4 and open up your emulator and fast forward to level 105 or whatever test level you had open.

Still though, a preview function would eventually save that time, multiplying every time you have to test, eventually saving probably an hour of testing.

Do it.

<p4plus2> SON|KKU: its easier to stop before it bytes you in the ass
<p4plus2> WOW
<p4plus2> REALLY
<p4plus2> FUCKING WOW
<p4plus2> bites...*

Why do people care so much about the language a program is written in? You've got to accept that learning a programming language is hard work, and many people only know one. Yes, visual basic is a crappy language, but if the tool isn't broken, why fix it? Yes, something written in VB might not be as portable as, say, C++, but you can think of that as a choice the author made about his/her audience.

As you mention, VB is windows only, and it probably uses .net. Not such a problem to someone who can stay on windows with the most updated .net, but I cannot do that, I'm stuck with .net 3.5 and I usually use Linux anyways. Meaning I will never, ever be able to run this program. As to whether or not it's broken, that depends wholly on your definition of broken. I say if it can't work on 1/10 (Including mac users) of the computers it's sent to, it's broken, though that leaves it as a broken language. That is the only reason language matters (Even though yes, it is an awful language to code in and I can't think why you would want to torture yourself so)

Just a heads up that we already have an MML Porting Tool, many people would appreciate it if your tool will be better than this one (I have never personally used that tool though, I coded my own and used that).

Anyways, here are some features I would strongly suggest having:

1) Fixing and adding channel headers, correcting octaves and stuff like that.
2) A preview button. You said you could do this by converting the MML to a MID file, if you can then great. Many people would love to see it.
3) Music insertion to a ROM. Should be very easy to do.
4) Effective looping, not sure how difficult this would be but as of now the most painful thing to do when music porting for me is looping.
5) Hex commands such as echo, ADSR, etc.

If you think you can pull these off, then go for it. Otherwise meh, I wouldn't really a find a use in it. Also, is the text-box read only or something?

Quote

Also, I really hope there's actually code behind those buttons and boxes. It's really bad practice to make an interface and then code for it, as opposed to the other way around.

There's nothing wrong with doing that as long as you know how to code what you want and actually plan everything out.

Just a heads up that we already have an MML Porting Tool, many people would appreciate it if your tool will be better than this one (I have never personally used that tool though, I coded my own and used that).

Anyways, here are some features I would strongly suggest having:

1) Fixing and adding channel headers, correcting octaves and stuff like that.
2) A preview button. You said you could do this by converting the MML to a MID file, if you can then great. Many people would love to see it.
3) Music insertion to a ROM. Should be very easy to do.
4) Effective looping, not sure how difficult this would be but as of now the most painful thing to do when music porting for me is looping.
5) Hex commands such as echo, ADSR, etc.

If you think you can pull these off, then go for it. Otherwise meh, I wouldn't really a find a use in it. Also, is the text-box read only or something?

Quote

Also, I really hope there's actually code behind those buttons and boxes. It's really bad practice to make an interface and then code for it, as opposed to the other way around.

There's nothing wrong with doing that as long as you know how to code what you want and actually plan everything out.

The problem is that one doesn't have a preview button. You have to insert the .txt in SMW and see how it sounds. I hope this editor fixes that issue.

That would help for the looping function (which is the not complete checkbox in the screenie, and here is a new screenie.)
As you can see, well, it don't work yet. The tempo and volume update does, sorta, I'm getting closer though.

NOTE TO PEOPLE: This is not a MAC OSX. This is Windows 7 Ultimate with a MAC OSX theme which is really cool.